Job 27:3

Listen to Job 27:3
3 as long as my breath is in me, and 1the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

Job 27:3 Meaning and Commentary

Job 27:3

All the while my breath [is] in me
So long the oath of God would be upon him, or he bound himself under it:

and the spirit of God [is] in my nostrils;
which signifies the same thing. The breath of a man is his spirit, and this is of God, the Father of spirits; he first breathed into man the breath of life, and he became a living soul or spirit, ( Genesis 2:7 ) ; it is he that gives life and breath to every man, ( Acts 17:25 ) , and continues it as long as he pleases, which is a very precarious thing; for it is in his nostrils, where it is drawn to and fro and soon and easily stopped; nor will it always continue, it will some time not be, it will go forth, and then man dies, and returns to the earth, ( Ecclesiastes 12:7 ) ; but as long as there is breath there is life; so that to say this is the same as to say, as long as I live, or have a being, ( Psalms 104:33 ) ( 116:2 ) ; and while that continued, Job looked upon himself under the oath he had taken by the living God.

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Job 27:3 In-Context

1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
3 as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me to say that you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 27:3 ch. 33:4; [Gen. 2:7]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025